The use of carrier straps for bottles or jugs is known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,306,060 and 6,394,517. Similarly, the use of resilient webs for harnessing together six-packs of beverages and tub-like containers is known. The use of shrink-wrap or paper trays to band together multiple tub-type containers is also known. However, all such devices have inherent drawbacks with respect to holding tub containers together in that the tub containers are difficult to extract from them and often loosen during shipment or with changes in temperature.
There is therefore a need in the container industry for a device capable of harnessing containers together that is simple to apply to and remove from the tub-type container, that will not loosen during shipment or with temperature changes, and that is inexpensive to manufacture.
These needs and other which will become apparent to one of ordinary skill upon consideration of the specification herein are met by the present invention.
According to the present invention there is provided a tandem harness for two tub-like containers, comprising two discontinuous circular resilient bands joined by an intermediate web, each of the bands having at least two discontinuities, and each of the discontinuities having an offset catch assembly integral with the bands, wherein each catch assembly comprises (i) two legs joining the bands at approximately right angles, (ii) an inverted U-shaped member attached to the two legs, and (iii) a catch for engaging the upper periphery of the containers.